Wind musical instrument



April 26, 1932. A. LOOMIS WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 26 1931 amnion Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNHFED STATES PATENT @FHQE ALLEN LOOMIS, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO 0. G. CONN, LTD., OF ELKHAR'I,

INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed February 26, 1931.

My invention relates to wind musical instruments of the wood wind type which carry a single reed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a reed musical instrument of the saxophone type which is keyless except for an octave key.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a saxophone which is keyless except for an octave key and which has a tapered relatively thin metal body.

A third object is to provide a substantially keyless metal body saxophone without a bend and which has one or more transversely elongated tone openings therein to facilitate operation thereof by a child whose fingers have a limited reach or spread.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a substantially keyless metal body saxophone which is provided with one or more transversely elongated tone openings therein and which are arranged angularly in relation to the axis of the instrument body to facilitate operation of the instrument by a child whose fingers have a limited reach or spread.

Another object of the invention is to provide a substantially keyless saxophone which has a spring actuated octave key and an elevated thumb controlled tone opening posi tioned adjacent said octave key.

Other objects of the invention are men tioned and described herein.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the saxophone in which my inventions are incorporated Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles thereto; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the tubular tapered body of my improved saxophone and which is made of any suitable relatively thin Serial No. 518,449.

metal, the instrument body terminating at its outer end in a relatively small bell section 2, the opposite end being provided with the usual removable mouthpiece 3 which carries the usual reed 42 secured thereto by a pair of removable clamping rings 5 which may be slidably applied over the end of the mouthpiece. Preferably, the clamping rings 5 are one piece elements and depend upon the taper of the mouthpiece 3 to retain them in position upon the latter when applied thereto.

The instrument body 1, which is straight throughout its length, including the bell 2, is provided with six finger holes 6, 7 8, 9, 10 and 11, arranged longitudinally thereof in a series, which provide a scale of notes which may be readily played by any one familiar with the fife or ancient flute. The instrument carries also a normally spring closed tiltable octave key 12 which controls the tone opening 13 which is positioned adjacent the raised tubular tone opening 14, the latter being located close to the depressible finger tip 15 of said octave key and adapted to be controlled by the thumb of the left hand to enable the production of two major diatonic scales. The raised tone opening or socket 14 also conveniently functions as a thumb rest and is positioned on the side of the instrument opposite to the series of six finger holes 6 to 11 inclusive that is, on the under side of the instrument.

A laterally projecting rest 16 rigid with the instrument body is also provided for the thumb of the right hand and positioned on the under side of the instrument between the socket element 14 and the instrument hell 2. As stated, the tone opening 14 enables the production of two major diatonic scales, being closed by the thumb of the left hand for certain notes and opened for others.

A port 17 is provided adjacent the base of the hell 2 which may remain permanently open. An important feature of my improved saxophone, which has thin metal walls throughout, is the fact that the tone openings 6 to 11 are controllable by the fingers of the two hands of the player. Another important feature of the instrument pertains to the formation of the tone holes 10 and 11 which may be elongated transversely of the instrument axis, or somewhat oval 1n formation, and whlch are of greater area than the remaining tone openings, the increased area of the tone openings 10 and 11 being gained by transverse oval or elongated formation. Inasmuch asmy improved saxophone may be extensively used by children whose finger spread or reach is less than that of the average adult person, the .openings 10 and 11, which are elongated as Lheretofore.stated,;are disposed at acute angle in relation to the instrument axis, as determined fromone side of the instrument, and at an obtuse angle as determined when viewed from the opposite side-of the instrument.

I claim:

1. A saxophone comprising a tapered tubular body sectionprovided with an unbent lbellsectionand a mouthpiece at the opposite :end thereof, said .body :section being provided with a series of finger tone holes, an octave key positioned adjacent the mouthpiece end of the instrument, and a thumb controlled raisedtone opening positioned adjacent said octave key to enable the production of two ,major diatonic scales.

:2. A saxophone comprising a tapered tubular metal :body section having relatively thin walls of unitormthicknessvand provided with an uncurved bell section at one end thereof and amouthpiece at the opposite end thereof, :said body section being provided with .a series of finger tone holes extending longitudinally thereof, one or more 'of said linger tone openings being elongated transversely of the instrument body.

73. Asaxophonecomprising a tapered tubu- 18a metal body section provided with an un curved'bellsection :at one endthereof :and a mouthpiece :at the opposite .end thereof, said body section being provided with a longitudinal series of finger tone openings, one or more of said tone openings being elongated transversely of the instrument body and arranged at an acute angle in relation to the axis of the instrument.

4. A saxophone comprising, in combination, a tapered tubular :metal body section provided with an uncurved bell section at one end thereof and .a mouthpiece at the opposite end thereof, said saxophone body section being provided with a longitudinal series of finger tone holes, a tiltable octave key on the instrument body, and a raised tone opening vsocket disposed adjacent the end of said octave key, said raised tone opening socket being controlled by the thumb of the hand which aotuates said octave key and functioning also as a thumb rest.

5. A saxophone comprising in combination, a tapered tubular metal body section provided with an uncurved bellsection at one end thereof and a mouthpiece and reed at the opposite end thereof, said saxophone body thumb controlled raised tone opening positioned within reach of the hand that actuates said octave key.

ALLEN LOOMIS. 

